On Mount Lijing...
The two men quickly undid the layers of protective formations and strode into the courtyard. The garden was lush and vibrant, bathed in golden sunlight, exuding a sense of vitality.
They hurried to the ancestral hall, pushing open the thick stone door. Immediately, a burst of white qi current rushed out, forcing them to step back as a chilling sensation enveloped their bodies.
The mist swirled in the courtyard, causing leaves and flowers to fall. The green branches turned yellow and withered, creating a cascade of dead leaves. In an instant, the once spring-like courtyard moments before had turned into an autumn scene, filled with a chilling atmosphere.
Li Yuanjiao stepped into the secret chamber and saw five or six small osmanthus trees that had sprouted within. Snow-white jade rabbits and yellow-green toads hopped around on the ground, filling him with astonishment.
The ground was covered with fallen osmanthus flowers, and white moonlight mist spread everywhere. A bluish-gray mirror floated in the air, emitting ribbons of bright light, exuding an impressive aura.
"This is..."
Li Yuanjiao carefully stepped around the hopping toads and rabbits on the ground, approaching the stone platform. He greeted respectfully, "Descendant of the Li Family greets the immortal mirror!"
Whether it was his words or the gradual departure of the Dawn Cloudliner returning to the Azure Pond Sect in the south, the light on the mirror gradually dimmed but remained dazzling.
Li Yuanping, only at the third stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, could not withstand the aura and dared not enter the chamber until the light had faded slightly. Even then, he felt the cold biting into his bones.
BOOM!
Suddenly, the various phenomena in the dark chamber exploded, transforming into thick moonlight, resembling wisps of pure white mist. They swirled rapidly around Li Yuanjiao, who was kneeling in the center. Before him, the mist condensed into a jade buckle.
Li Yuanjiao kneeled before the stone platform, watching the moonlight coalesce into the clear jade buckle. With a solemn expression, he said, "Li Yuanjiao, a descendant of the Li Family, has received the command..."
The radiance slowly receded and the mirror reverted to its dull, gray state. The moonlight flowed back into the mirror from the stone platform. Li Yuanjiao bowed once more before standing up slowly.
The two brothers exited the dark chamber, the stone door closing silently behind them. Li Yuanping then said gravely, "Brother, Yu Muxian is a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, and a member of the Azure Pond Sect at that... We must plan carefully."
"I understand," Li Yuanjiao replied, narrowing his eyes. He continued in a low voice, "Besides, it seems Yu Muxian has also benefited from that jade buckle. He constantly keeps it hidden in his sleeve, often rubbing it subconsciously... His remarkable achievements and rapid cultivation on Yuanwu Peak must be linked to this treasure."
"That makes it even harder!" Li Yuanping exclaimed in exasperation as he shook his head and said seriously, "First, we should send Xizhi into the sect to gather information. As long as the jade buckle remains with Yu Muxian, we can eventually find a way to get our hands on it."
Nodding, Li Yuanjiao left the courtyard with his brother. Li Yuanping continued, "Regarding the matter of the Golden Yang Radiant Origin , this is of great importance and concerns our future path. It will take considerable time and effort. We need a reliable and capable Qi Cultivator to collect the qi."
"Are you suggesting...?" Li Yuanjiao's voice trailed off as his mind conjured up a name. He exchanged a glance with his brother and asked, "Uncle Chen Donghe?!"
"Exactly!" Li Yuanping pursed his lips and continued, "To the west of Moongaze Lake lies the territory of the Golden Feather Sect, with several deserts... We can send someone to search that area. If there is no pass that stretches a thousand li, we may have to head north."
"Go ahead and make the arrangements," Li Yuanjiao responded, fully trusting Li Yuanping. When he noticed Li Yuanping's pale complexion, he frowned and asked, "Why do you look so frail? There are many family matters to handle... Let Xicheng get some practice. Use more spirit herbs and do not strain yourself."
"Heh." Li Yuanping shook his head and replied, "My body is inherently flawed, like a leaking jar. No amount of spirit herbs will help. Maintaining my current cultivation without regression has already consumed many resources."
As they spoke, they arrived at a small courtyard at the foot of the mountain, taking seats one after the other. Li Yuanping waved his hand to shift the topic away from himself and continued, "Speaking of Xicheng... he is soft-hearted and indecisive, popular among the younger generation, but not fit to manage the household. A few days ago, I gave him some tasks, but he was indecisive and was easily swayed by others' opinions. I had to send him to Mount Yue to manage the Spirit Paddies."
Although Li Yuanjiao trusted him, Li Yuanping made sure to explain the situation to avoid any misunderstanding, lest his brother thought he was mistreating the eldest son of the second lineage.
Li Yuanjiao, holding a cup of tea, replied, "It is not a big deal. I see Xijun is clever. Both he and Ximing show great promise. We should not be too hard on Xicheng."
Li Yuanjiao, once fierce and bloodthirsty, had mellowed significantly after enduring the deaths of his older brother and granduncle.
Placing his cup down, he recounted Yu Muxian's visit in detail. Li Yuanping sighed, "Now that a Fei Family disciple has entered Yuanwu Peak, they are at least a junior fellow of Yu Muxian, possibly even his disciple. They will find it hard to align with us as before..."
"More than that..." Li Yuanjiao shook his head and was about to respond when he was interrupted by a well-dressed woman entering the courtyard.
She greeted warmly, "Brother, Yuanping."
Li Qingxiao had just ascended the mountain, meeting a few from the Yuan generation. When she asked about the family's situation, Li Yuanping explained everything in detail, speaking softly, "The family has been doing well these past few years... The ancestor has also gained some insights and is in seclusion for cultivation. You do not need to worry."
"All right..." Li Qingxiao's eyes were slightly red, showing a hint of reluctance. She spoke softly, "My husband has finished his duties in the clan over the past few years. We planned to return to Mount Yu, but when I heard about this, I hurried over. I cannot stay long and have to quickly bid farewell to our parents."
"Mount Yu is quite far from Moongaze Lake. If anything happens at home, it will be difficult to return promptly," she explained, then kneeled and bowed deeply.
"I must trouble Big Brother and Brother Ping to take care of my parents. Qingxiao is forever grateful!" she said.
"Just go without worries..." Li Yuanjiao said as he turned to the side, refusing her formalities. He shook his head slightly and continued in a low voice, "Focus on assisting your husband on Mount Yu. Do not worry about family matters to avoid unnecessary gossip. In a few years, when you have children, bring them back to see me."
"Yes!" Li Qingxiao responded gently and left with Xiao Xian on their flying shuttles.
Li Yuanjiao then turned to Li Yuanping and said, "Soon, I will return to Mount Wutu for seclusion. By then, Qinghong should also be out of seclusion. While she stabilizes her newfound power, you may approach her for any issues."
"Understood..." Li Yuanping responded, watching Li Yuanjiao calculate the time.
Li Yuanjiao then spoke in a serious tone, "Inform Qinghong that three months from now, on the Earth Pig day, wait in the mountain together. I will come home then."
Translator Note: What is Earth Pig Day (Ji Hai Day)?
The Chinese calendar uses a 60-year cycle called the sexagenary cycle, which combines two sets of symbols: the 10 Heavenly Stems (like a set of numbers) and the 12 Earthly Branches (like a set of letters).
Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches:
Heavenly Stems: These are like numbers from 1 to 10 (Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui).
Earthly Branches: These are like letters from A to L (Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai).
The cycle combines one stem with one branch to create 60 unique pairs, like "1A," "2B," etc.
Ji is the sixth stem, and Hai is the twelfth branch.
Hence, Ji-Hai (Earth Pig) Day is one specific combination in this 60-pair cycle. It represents a specific day in this cycle, which repeats every 60 days.
TLDR: "Ji-Hai Day" is like a special code or name for a specific day in a traditional Chinese 60-day calendar cycle, similar to how we have names for the days of the week. This cycle repeats every 60 days. We don't really use this system anymore in the modern day.
Example:
Li Yuanping was momentarily puzzled, not understanding the significance of the date. The annual sacrificial ceremony was in winter, which was far from that date. Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, "What is this about...?"
"It has been five years..."
Li Yuanjiao sighed deeply, his lips barely moving as he used his mana to transmit his voice to Li Yuanping's ear, "It has been five years since the ancestor's life jade broke. Following his instructions, we should open the entrance to Meiche cave dwelling to welcome his immortal remains."